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Coffee House Chapel #5

Discussion in '2005 Archive' started by Dan Todd, Jul 29, 2004.

  1. Watchman

    Watchman New Member

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    Thanks Dan. A Former Pastor of mine once said that there a two journals (that is, the writers wrote what they were feeling) in the Bible: Lamentations was Jeremiah's and Ecclesiastes was Solomon's.
    Solomon here wrote things like:
    "For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity" (3:19).
    The Lord Jesus did not die for just another species of animals, but to redeem those created in God's image. We are of more value than "many sparrows," the cross of Christ certainly speaks of that. Solomon had great wealth, anything he wanted, yet his testimony was, "all is vanity." Well, without the Lord Jesus Christ in one's life my friends-he's right!
     
  2. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Saturday, December 11, 2004

    "A Name for the Overcomers"

    Revelation 3:12, "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out; and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name."

    Count how many times the verse refers to a name!

    I will write upon him--

    1) The name of My God

    2) The name of the city of My God

    3) My new name

    Its gonna be written all over us, friend!! There won't be any mistaken identity! All of humanity will know who belongs to Him and who doesn't!!

    But think about that name---written on the Overcomer---three seperate times!!

    Remember reading elsewhere in the Book of Revelation---the period of the Great Tribulation and the "era" of the AntiChrist?? And how the word says that the people of that era will have a certain "number" scribed upon their foreheads and hands---the number 666! Now, I'm not certain exactly how that particular number will appear---the jest of the lesson is

    Three times Jesus makes reference to a name given!

    Remeber reading in Luke 22--Peter standing there around that fire warming his hands---while Jesus is inside the room being questioned---then that little woman approaches Peter with her own question???

    "You are one of His, aren't you?"

    "Lady, I don't know who or what you're talking about!!"

    Peter was standing there--denying Jesus! Denying His name!! And that ole Rooster started "cawin'"

    I want to believe that ole Rooster was tellin' ole Peter something---warning him!!

    "Cock-a-doodle, Don't!!!!"

    "Cock-a-doodle, Don't!!!"

    "Cock-a-doodle, Dooooonnnnnn't!!!!"

    But he did, didn't he??? Peter denied His name, didn't he???

    And in that deniel---he was telling the world around him---"I am not associated with that fellow!!!"

    But, ooooooooooohhhhhh, there's coming a day, friend!!! When every redeemed child of God---every Born Again Believer---every blood bought person who has ever lived---will be given a name---Jesus will scribe His name on us---and we will be forevermore openly associated with Him!!!!

    Folks won't have to ask, "Are you one of His??" Friend, it'll be written all over us!!!

    I don't know about you---but I look forward to the day when my faith will turn to sight---and when God will say to me----"David!! Come here and let Me scribe My name on you!!"

    Several months ago---one of my "Preacher" heroes, Dr. Stephen Olford---passed away into the presence of the Lord---but several months prior to his passing away---I visited his Bible institute in Memphis and had the privilege of meeting him!!! I then was able to purchase his latest book--recently released!!!

    "Dr. Olford!! Will you sign my book here??"

    "I sure will, Lad!!"

    And Dr. Olford signed his name on the "Fly leaf" of that book!!!

    OOOOOOHHHHHH, but one day---Jesus is gonna sign---not my book----but He's gonna sign me!!!

    "Come here, David and let me "sign" you!!!!"

    How about that????

    Say???? Will you receive a number---from the AntiChrist??? Or will it be a name---from the Christ????
     
  3. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    December 12

    Romans 11:34, “For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller?”

    Unless you have God in your life (and I am not speaking about a generic god - I’m speaking of the God Who made the heavens and the earth - and then only if you have accepted His Son, Jesus Christ, as your Lord and Savior) - everything in your life is meaningless. Even with God in your life - you will not understand everything God is doing - as His wisdom is so far above our wisdom - the gap is unmeasurable.

    I might venture to say that there is no such thing as human wisdom. We humans spend to much time and energy working and chasing things that do not satisfy. Even believers are guilty of this.

    Think on these questions:

    1. “Why do we spend our time acquiring houses and cars and television sets and fine furniture, which will eventually depreciate and decay?

    2. “Why do we work for increasingly larger paychecks and bank accounts, which we will never be able to take to heaven with us when we die?

    3. Why do we yearn for earthly recognition, which can vanish is a flash?”(Boice)

    Why do we do these things? Because we have not even learned the basic earthly wisdom of the Book of Ecclesiastes - “let alone the infinitely more profound wisdom or the revealed counsels of God. Yet we presume to suppose that we can criticize God for what He is doing in our lives.” (Boice) We all to often think we know how to run our lives better than God runs them. Now before you protest that statement too loudly - consider the fact that most of us act and live our lives as if that statement were 100% true! We need to humbly confess our sin of presumption - just as Job did - and beg God to run our lives as He sees fit!

    Paul asked the Corinthian Christians, “Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” (1:20) That is the lesson that each Christian needs to learn, again and again. Paul rebuked the Romans (and us) when he wrote, “For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller?”

    The answer is an emphatic - NO ONE! Not me - not you - not anyone who lived in the past - or lives now - or will live in the future! “Not one of us can contribute to the knowledge or wisdom of God in any respect.” (Boice)

    Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

    In Christ,
    Dan Todd
     
  4. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Monday, December 13, 2004

    "The Shepherd's Watch"(continuing series)

    Luke 2:8, "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night."

    If you could go back in time to Bible days---and enter into the pages of Luke here, and if you could be any Christmas character to be---who would you be??

    I'd want to be one of those shepherd boys!! I've always been mesmerized by those guys!! Rugged--more or less independent, outdoor type, not much money in the profession---but they did it anyway!! I'd want to be a shepherd!!

    What does the word from the Word say about Shepherds!!???

    Oftentimes they are seen as a disdained, rejected group of people!! In Genesis 46:34, the Bible says that the Egyptians grew to dispise Shepherds--"For every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians."

    The Bible does track the lives of individual shepherds---

    I think of Moses--making his livelihood as a shepherd to Jethro, his father-in-law! Ex.3:1 tells us that Moses was leading those sheep in the backside of the desert when he had that face to face encounter with that burning bush!! It was in the backside of the desert--on the far side of nothing---that that encounter took place!

    You know, oftentimes God will take us to the far side of nothing--in order to make something out of us!! He'll take a despised person of abomination and turn him/her around and use them for His glory and honor!!

    I think about David---little shepherd boy, David! Tending Jesse's sheep!! As a shepherd--that's where David got good with sling shots and rocks!!! That's where he got close to God!!!

    Then when I think about sheperds---I think about the Lord Jesus Christ!! You know!! Jesus came and was sent at the same time!!! But He came and was sent---to guide a bunch of sheep that don't want to be guided!!!! In fact, just about every sheep He tried to guide---stampeeded on Him!!!

    But He came as a shepherd to the sheep---and listen to what the word says--about what the sheep thought of Him!!! You ever wonder---what dumb animals think about their human counterparts??? I was helping my brother in law push some yearling cows into a catch pen to carry them off to sale----and there were some yearlings out there---that the way they "looked" at you when you were pushing them toward that catch pen---they were sending a signal---"I ain't going in that pen!! I ain't going to the sale!! I ain't for sale!! I'm staying here!!"

    But here's what the sheep think---about their shepherd!!! Are you ready???

    Isaiah 53:3, "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised and we esteemed Him not."

    Remember how Exodus 46:34 told us that the shepherds were an abomination to the Egyptians???

    Well!!! The word from the Word says in John 1:11, "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not."

    But look at the promise left for us in John 1:12---"But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name."

    Do you despise the Shepherd?? Or will you receive Him this Christmas????
     
  5. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    December 14

    Romans 11:34, “For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller?”

    Our text has plainly told us that none of us can contribute to the wisdom and knowledge of God! What are we to do about this situation? Boice writes, “it is not intended to leave us in our folly. We are not called upon to be either ignorant or foolish. On the contrary, we are to trust God, work to develop our minds, and grow in true spiritual wisdom and understanding.”

    Here are three things we need to understand:

    1. Learn that there is no true wisdom except in God. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” (Prov 9:10) We need to listen and learn from God. He knows, and He is willing to impart some of His knowledge to us through His Word. Because God is a God of wisdom, He also imparts some of that wisdom to us through His Word. Please understand this, you will have neither knowledge nor wisdom, unless you begin with Him.

    2. Learn that even though you begin with God, you will never fully understand God and therefore you will never fully understand His ways. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.” (Isa 55:8) “Moreover, since God’s thoughts direct God’s actions, clearly it will be His ways rather than yours that will be accomplished.” (Boice) “There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.” (Prov 19:21)

    3. Finally, learn to trust God and follow hard after Him. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Prov 3:5-6) “If you do not do that, your pitifully small knowledge and faulty wisdom will lead you eventually either to arrogance or despair.” (Boice) Friends, when we acknowledge our ignorance and foolishness, and trust God, we will find that God will provide all the knowledge we need! Where? In Scripture! God will also give us wisdom! “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (James 1:5)

    Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

    In Christ,
    Dan Todd
     
  6. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    December 15, 2004

    The Shepherd's and Their Flock

    Luke 2:8, And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night."

    These guys didn't know it--but "Christmas" baby Jesus was about to make an appearance! Interestingly, it had been 400 years since God had spoken to the people of Israel--through the prophet, Malachi----and now, He was about to break the silence!!

    Scolars believe that this field that the Shepherds were in---was probably called the "Field of Boaz" located between Bethleham and Jerusalem---and that these sheep being raised there---were "Temple" sheep! Sheep raised for sacrifice at the Temple!! Lambs that would ulitmately be slain!!

    You know, Jesus is Heaven's Lamb---slain from the foundation of the world!! And now---here in Luke 2---the Lamb was about to meet the world!!

    What a picture we have---the Shepherds keeping watch over the Sheep!! Those "Temple" sheep!!

    Read what God says in Exodus 29:42 and following about the Lamb slain---The "Temple" Lamb from Heaven!!

    "This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee. And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the Tabernacle shall be sanctified by My glory."
     
  7. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    December 16

    Romans 11:35, “Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?”

    Does God need our giving in order for the church to be successful? I should think not, because our God is the All-Sufficient God!

    Let’s take a look at what is probably the biggest offering ever taken for the Lord’s work. It was during the end of King David’s time here on earth. God told David that he could not build the temple because he was a man of blood. Disappointed, David did not pout, rather he made preparation for his son Solomon to build the temple, in fact he did everything short of building it.

    David led the way in giving to this offering. (Unlike many of today’s “Stars” who lend their time to a cause - but not their funds!) Scripture tells us that David gave 3,000 talents (110 metric tons) of gold and 7,000 talents (260 metric tons) of silver. Others in Israel gave 5,000 talents of Gold, 10,000 talents of silver, 18,000 talents of bronze, and 100,000 talents of iron, plus many precious stones. It is difficult to convert these amounts into dollars, but the amount adds up to hundreds of millions of dollars! This was perhaps the greatest single offering that has ever been taken for a religious work!

    If I had spear-headed this fund drive - I suspect that I would have been patting myself on the back, thinking, if not saying - what a “good boy I am!” But that was not David’s attitude! Let’s look at David’s attitude, 1 Chronicles 29:10-13, “ Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.”

    The next verse is even more telling regarding David’s attitude, “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.” (Ver 14)

    “This was a very important acknowledgment, meaning, to put it in slightly different language, ‘The people have given generously, but we have been able to do so only by your grace and by returning to you what you have first seen fit to give us.’” (Boice)

    Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

    In Christ,
    Dan Todd
     
  8. Watchman

    Watchman New Member

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    Thanks Dan. You reminded me of when they were building the taberancle back in Exodus; The children of Israel had to be restrained from giving!
    Ever hear of that today. [​IMG]
     
  9. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    Charles, I can't say that I have!
     
  10. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    December 18

    Romans 11:35, “Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?”

    As you notice, our text is a question! This verse, with the preceding verse (“For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller?”), ask three rhetorical questions! The apostle is driving home the truth of the superiority of God to His creatures, in all areas. Of course each of these questions demand a negative answer!

    1. “Who hath known the mind of the Lord?” The answer is NO ONE! None of God’s creatures come close to knowing what God knows. “His knowledge is infinitely beyond ours.” (Boice)

    2. “Who hath been his counseller?” The answer is NO ONE! Who could possible ever advise God so that He could do His job of governing the universe better or more efficiently?

    3. “Who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?” Again the answer in NO ONE! We may give to God - but it is only a part of what He has given to us. David gave a huge gift towards building the temple, but it was only a part of what God had given him.

    The hymn writers states this truth correctly:

    “We give thee but thine own,
    Whate’er the gift may be;
    All that we have is thine alone,
    A trust, O Lord, from thee.”

    Paul’s three questions are designed to remind us of the self-sufficiency, sovereignty, and independence of God. These are the attributes we must learn to appreciate if we are to ever have a correct understanding of God and Who He is! “They show us that we have nothing to contribute. We have nothing to add either to who God is or to what He does.” (Boice)

    There is another truth we need to learn about the third question. A truth that a large sector of Christianity needs to learn, that is, “We cannot place God under obligation to ourselves by giving to Him. That is so important that I want to repeat it: We cannot place God under obligation to ourselves by giving to Him.” (Boice)

    Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

    In Christ,
    Dan Todd
     
  11. Watchman

    Watchman New Member

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    Thanks Dan.
    Your twice-quoted line reminds me of the error of the word-of-faith, name-it-and-claim-it, prosperity gospel crowd.
     
  12. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Sunday, December 19, 2004

    "The Shepherd's Watch"

    Luke 2:8, And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night."

    Today, we want to look at the faithfulness of these shepherds--and see what we can apply in our lives today!

    DYN--the word says that it is "required in Stewards that a man be found faithful?---and that without faith it is impossible to please God???

    The Bible says they were "abiding" in the fields!

    The word, "abiding" means, "to lodge, to camp out" and carries the meaning of continuous action! IOW--they were there to stay! Rain-shine!thick-thin! Hot-cold!!

    I think about that word "abide" and "abiding" and how its used elsewhere in the Bible!

    In John 15:8--the word is used by Jesus to describe a relationship with Him that produces everlasting peace and joy!

    "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit."

    Back to the shepherds! I wonder! What do you suppose those men were thinking---30 minutes--15 minutes--5 minutes--1 minute--30 seconds---before that angel of the Lord suddenly appeared??

    "Man! What are we doing out here?"
    "Its the same ol' thing--day in and day out!"
    "There's got to be something better we could be doing!"
    "This is just a waste of time!"
    "There's nothin' out there in the future for us!"

    Then along comes verse 9 into their lives!!!

    "And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid."

    I'm tellin' ya!!! Verse 9 drastically changed their lives!!

    Friend, listen!! Have you ever thought thoughts like those shepherds may have thought??

    "There's nothin' in the future for me!"
    "What am I doin' out here!"
    "The Christian life is a waste of time!"

    The key to having verse 9 become a reality in your life---the key to "gettin' in" on the glory of God---is found in verse 8 and the word, "abiding!"

    If you want verse 9 to become a reality in your life---abide--stay put--camp out---in Jesus!! Stay with Him---don't leave! There is no better life than His life!! Abide!! Camp out in Jesus!!
     
  13. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    December 20

    Romans 11:35, “Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?”

    What do we contribute to God? NOTHING!!!

    1. We are justified by grace apart from human works. Romans 1-4 makes this truth abundantly clear. We are depraved, we are impotent, we are dead - and dead people don’t do stuff! Apart from God the Father determining to send His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to die for us - we would all be on our way to eternal damnation in the lake of fire. Before salvation, most folks believe that they can win God over by doing good works. Some folks, after salvation, (though knowing that good works did not save them) suppose that God saw something in them that endeared Him to them, causing God to chose to save them. WRONG!!! God’s Word makes it clear that there never was, is, or will be anything in us that “makes” God love us or choose us! Why then did God choose us? Because He wanted to - and for not other reason. I must admit that I do not understand why He chose me!

    Nothing we do will ever save us, not even our faith! “True, we are saved through faith. No one is saved without it. But even faith is God’s gift, so that there will be no boasting on the day when the redeemed of the Lord stand before Him. We do not contribute to our justification in any way.” (Boice)

    Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

    Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

    In Christ,
    Dan Todd
     
  14. Watchman

    Watchman New Member

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    Blackbird, Dan, Thank you for the work that you do here.
     
  15. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Tuesday, December 21, 2004

    "The Shepherd's Watch"(Continued)

    Luke 2:8, "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night."

    These guys didn't know it---but they were fixin' to be invaded upon by the unseen world!! Heaven was fixin' to come down and lay Himself in a manger!!!

    But before we get to that---lets look at the fervant faithfulness of these shepherds!

    The word from the Word says they were "keeping watch over their flock."

    "Keeping watch"---when these two words are put together--it shows double intensity!! Butler says, "Literally--a double keeping--watching watches!"

    These shepherds were not just keeping their flock!
    They were not just watching their flock!
    They were "Keeping watch" over their flock!

    IOW--they were fervant in their faithfulness to the task! Their bodies, souls, and spirits were giving it all they had!!

    DYN--we are to give "fervancy" in our tasks for the Lord Jesus!! Fervancy is what the Lord Jesus is looking for! Fervancy is what He is expecting from us!!

    Look at two areas of our lives we are to be fervant in---

    1)We are to be fervant in our love for one another

    1Peter 1:22, Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently."

    2)We are to be fervent in our prayers for one another

    James 5:16, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

    We are to set "watching watches" over our prayer life for each other! We are to set "watching watches" over our love life for each other!!

    What about it?? Have you slacked off in these areas?? I know I have--toward my family, my friends, the neighbors!! I'd make a terrible shepherd if it were not for the Lord Jesus!! I pray that I will "deny myself" and take up my cross and follow Him---to a point where He will set up a "watching watch" inside of me and steer it toward those surrounding me!! This Christmas---and the other 364 days that surround it, also!!
     
  16. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    December 22

    Romans 11:35, “Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?”

    What do we contribute to God? NOTHING!!!

    1. We are justified by grace apart from human works, Romans 1-4.

    2. We are sanctified by the Holy Spirit apart from works, Romans 5-8. We do nothing to contribute to our justification, and we do nothing to contribute to our sanctification. (I may as well add here - that we do nothing - by the way of works to keep our salvation. It amazes me that some folks believe that we can keep by works that which we could not get by works!) “It is true that there are things we are to do because we have been saved and that we will do them if we truly are. But that does not mean that we give anything to God in this area. What we do is a response to what He has already done. It is because God has taken us out of Adam and placed us in Christ, giving us a new nature that possesses new desires, that we therefore follow after Jesus and grow in the grace God freely supplies.” (Boice)

    In Romans 8 Paul teaches the certainty of our persevering in faith. Again, this is all of God and none of us, it is what God has done for us. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” (Rom 8:28-30)

    Consider these things:
    a) “... God [is] for us,” ver 31.
    b) God “spared not his own Son,” ver 32.
    c) God “freely give us all things,” ver 32.
    d) “It is God that justifieth,” ver 33.
    e) Jesus “also maketh intercession for us,” ver 34.
    f) Nothing can separate us from His love, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, vers 35-39.

    “It is all of God from the beginning to the end.” (Boice)

    Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

    In Christ,
    Dan Todd
     
  17. Watchman

    Watchman New Member

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    Now you have here a very good point. A big thing in this season is gifts. To those we give, how many times do we say "Give that back!(?)"
    Such a thing would be un heard of. Yet, too many think that this is what God does!
     
  18. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    December 23, 2004

    "The Shepherd's Watch"

    Luke 2:8, "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night."

    I want us to think about the darkness that surrounded these shepherds. Notice

    "Keeping watch over their flock by night" Something worth mentioning about the situation "at night!"

    What do wolves, foxes, coyote's, lions, & tigers all have in common? They all hunt their prey primarily at night! These animals are primarily nocternal hunters! Creepers of the night!

    Now, a sheep is a "cloven hooved" animal---and these animals do their best sleeping at night!!

    So, think about it! We have the "Creepers" of the night! We have the "Sleepers" of the night!

    The Creepers like to EAT the Sleepers!

    The Shepherds know that--the sheep sleep and the lions creep!! So the Shepherd stays alert! He's awake! His flock---in one night---if he lays his guard down---can be devestated and destroyed!!

    Too, Thieves!!! They do their best work at night---under the cloak of darkness!! And the Shepherd had to watch for them, too!! He has to learn to identify friend from foe! He has to distinquish the Advocate from the Advisary---in the dark!

    OOOHHHH, but friend---this world is dreadfully dark!! Its as if its "nighttime"---and the sheep(you and I) are vulnerable to nocturnal attack!!

    But aren't you glad we have a Shepherd--a Good Shepherd---a Great Shepherd---who will "stay watch" and sustain us through the darkness?? Through the dark night!!

    No wonder "Little Shepherd Boy" David wrote in Psalm 3:5, "I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me."

    Last night---when you laid down in bed---did you know you became

    A Midnight Sleeper!!

    And that there were things out in the spiritual darkness prowlin'--and they were

    The Midnight Creepers!!

    But that Jesus was your

    Midnight Keeper!!!!

    Amen!!

    And that He's gonna do it again in the day like He does in the dark---because He's the Good Shepherd thats great at being good!!!
     
  19. Gina B

    Gina B Active Member

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    Blackbird, do the kids in your church happen to have trouble going to sleep after hearing you preach?
     
  20. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    December 24

    Romans 11:35, “Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?”

    What do we contribute to God? NOTHING!!!

    1. We are justified by grace apart from human works, Romans 1-4.
    2. We are sanctified by the Holy Spirit apart from works, Romans 5-8.

    3. We are chosen apart from works, Romans 9-11. God’s work in history does not depend on us, in fact God is not obliged to do anything for us, not even make us happy! (You’d never ever understand this from the prosperity gospel people!) As God unfolds history, we do and have seen His love and grace, but we also see His power, justice and wrath. All God’s attributes and His actions and plans for this universe (His creation) are meant to bring glory unto Himself.

    We Christians need to realize that God is supreme, and we are here, only to do His will and to praise Him! Michael S. Horton, in his book, “Made in America: The Shaping of Modern American Evangelicalism” writes:

    “The older theology tended to produce character ... By the end of the twentieth century, we have become God’s demanding little brats. In church, we must be entertained. Our emotions must be charged ... We must be offered amusing programs – we gave up a lot to become Christians and what little teaching we do get must cater to our pragmatic, self-centered interests. The preaching must be filled with clever anecdotes and colorful illustrations, with nothing more than passing references to doctrine: ‘I want to know what this means for me and my daily experience!’

    “We have forgotten that God is a monarch. He is the king by whom and for whom all things were made, and by whose sovereign power they are sustained. We exist for His pleasure, not He for ours; we are on this earth to entertain Him, please Him, to adore Him, to bring Him satisfaction, excitement and joy. Any gospel which seeks to answer the question, ‘What’s in it for Me?’ has it all backwards. The question is, ‘What’s in it for God?’”

    We revert back to the question of our text, “... who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?” Not me, and certainly not you, as harsh as they may sound! Therefore, God is debtor to no one, not me, and certainly not you, no matter what I may think, or what you may think!

    Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

    In Christ,
    Dan Todd

    (I trust each of you will have a blessed Christmas!)
     
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